How Low Can You Go?
The GMB said yesterday that members had voted four-to-one in favour of a strike - but curiously did not release the details of the number of ballot papers issued and returned.
The GMB web site says that this information will be issued - 'in due course'.
But the turnout claimed by the GMB was 33% which - if correct - means that only 26% of union members have actually voted to support industrial action.
Meanwhile the building workers union - UCATT - also announced that its members would strike - on the basis of a 27% turnout.
Apparently 15,231 UCATT members were balloted - out of which 3,417 voted to strike and 692 voted against.
An 83% majority of those who voted - but only 22% of the entire UCATT membership.
A GMB spokesperson tried to explain away the poor turnout - by claiming that this was down to a large proportion of lower-paid members - having not signed up to the pension scheme.
Which is a very odd thing to say.
Because if large numbers of GMB members are not affected by the planned pension changes - then they cannot be party to the industrial dispute - in which case why were they being called upon to strike in the first place?
Both the GMB and UCATT are affiliated to the Labour party - of course.
